drinking cup having removable seal

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides for a vessel, such as a drinking cup, and a method for storing a product, the drinking cup having a removable seal enclosing the product in a chamber in the drinking cup and providing a second volume for adding a liquid for mixing with the product. A removing member may be coupled to the removable seal to allow for removal of the removable seal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to, and claims the benefit of the filing date of, co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/983,312 entitled DRINKING CUP HAVING REMOVABLE SEAL, filed Oct. 29, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vessel for containing a liquid and, more particularly, to a vessel for containing a liquid and having a removable seal enclosing a product for mixing with a liquid.

Packaging used for food products has taken many forms. Some examples include aluminum cans, paper cartons, plastic jugs, and glass bottles. In many cases, the containers are designed to store the food product only with varying forms of access to the product, depending on whether a user of the product needs to access the product immediately, e.g. a twist top to a bottle of soda, or whether the user needs a more secure seal to help preserve the product, e.g. a tin can containing perishable fruit.

In some cases, the containers may be intended to be used as an eating vessel where the user eats directly from the container. Some examples include yogurt containers having a removable lid, microwavable soup containers, and multi-course dinners stored in covered trays.

In other cases, the containers serve as a vessel for mixing the food product with another food product. One example is a disposable cereal container having a lid, where the lid may be removed and then milk may be added. The user of the product may then eat the cereal mixed with milk directly from the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a stackable vessel, such as a drinking cup, for containing a liquid and having a removable seal enclosing a product in a chamber of the drinking cup for mixing with a liquid in a second volume of the drinking cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a cutaway view of a drinking cup according to an aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a drinking cup according to an aspect of the invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of several drinking cups according to an aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. Additionally, for the most part, specific details, and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

Turning now to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 100 generally indicates a vessel, such as a drinking cup 102, for containing a liquid according to an aspect of the invention. The cup 102 may comprise a top portion 103 having a mouth 114 and a bottom portion 107. The cup 102 may be constructed from paper, Styrofoam, plastic, or any other material known by persons of ordinary skill as suitable for the uses outlined herein.

The cup 102 may be provided with a removable seal 104 for enclosing a product 108, such but not limited to instant coffee, in the bottom of the cup 102. The removable seal 104 may be a plastic or paperboard barrier configured to fit within the cup 102, having a shape that may conform to a shape of the interior of the cup 102. The removable seal 104 may be secured to an inner surface 105 forming the interior of the cup 102 using a suitable, releasable adhesive or by any other suitable releasable securing method. As shown in FIG. 1, and again in FIG. 2, the removable seal 104 may be configured to fit near a bottom 110 of the cup 102 for enclosing a product 108 within a temporary chamber 112 formed within the cup 102 in a first volume formed by the removable seal 104 and the interior of the bottom portion 107 of the cup 102.

The removable seal 104 may form a second volume 113 for holding a liquid, which may be the volume between the removable seal 104 and the mouth 114 of the cup 102. The second volume 113 may comprise a substantial portion of the total volume of the cup 102. In some embodiments, the second volume 113 may comprise over ½ the volume of the cup 102. In other embodiments, the second volume 113 may comprise over ¾ the volume of the cup 102. The second volume 113 may be constrained only by the amount of product 108 stored in the temporary chamber 112, such that the second volume 113 may comprise the volume that is not required to store the product 108 in the temporary chamber 112.

A removing member, such as a tab 106, may be coupled at one end to the removable seal 104 and extend at another end towards the mouth 114 of cup 102. The tab 106 may comprise a generally flat member that extends into the second volume 113. The tab 106 may extend at least far enough from the removable seal 104 to the mouth 114 to allow a user to grasp and pull the tab 106 and pull the removable seal 102 away from the cup 102. The tab 106 may transfer a pulling or twisting force to the removable seal 104. The tab 106 may be constructed from paper, plastic, or other suitable material for substantially transferring forces to the removable seal 104 without tearing the tab 106.

In some embodiments, the tab 106 may extend to the mouth 114 and outside the mouth 114 of the cup 102, and may also have a handle portion 116 for grasping and pulling the tab 106. The handle 116 may have a shape configured for easy grasping, such as a hook shape, as shown, or a ring shape, or any other suitable shape. Extending the tab portion 106 to the mouth 114 of the cup 102 may prevent the user from having to reach into the cup 102 with a hand of the user to access the tab portion 106 and remove the removable seal 104.

In operation in some embodiments, a vessel such as the cup 102 may be partially filled within the temporary chamber 112 with a product 108 such as instant coffee, instant soup, breakfast cereal, a drink mix and the like, and the removable seal 104 may be installed near the bottom portion 107 of the cup 102, with the tab 106 extending towards the mouth 114 of the cup 102. While in place, the seal 104 may protect the product 108 from contamination and moisture. Thereafter, a user may purchase or otherwise obtain the apparatus 100, remove the removable seal 104 from the cup 102 by pulling tab 106, and fill the cup 102 with a suitable liquid for mixing with the product 108. The liquid may be hot water for mixing with instant coffee or instant soup, milk for mixing with a breakfast cereal, an alcoholic beverage for mixing with suitable drink mixers, or any other liquid suitable for mixing with the product 108.

In some embodiments, the tab 106 may comprise a rigid elongated member for use as a mixer or stirrer. The tab 106 may be constructed from a wood or plastic material with a flat surface for moving liquid. The tab 106 may be disengaged from the removable seal 104 after the removable seal 104 has been removed from the cup 102. The tab 106 may be reinserted into the second volume 113 and used to stir the product 108 into a liquid that has been poured into the cup 102.

Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of a set 200 of drinking cups 102 having removable seals 104 and extended tabs 106. In some embodiments, the tabs 106 may be disposed along an inner side, such as the inner surface 105 shown in FIG. 1, of the cup 102. Cups 102 may be configured to stack one-inside-the-other with the tabs 106 extending beyond the top edge of their own cups, but not interfering with another cup stacked within their own cup.

There are several possible advantages to the design shown in FIG. 3 for a drinking cup or other vessel having a removable seal. One advantage may be the product 108 remains sealed until it is to be used, unlike standard containers for coffee, sugar, creamer and the like. Since the product 108 is already in a container, the area of preparation remains clean. The amount of trash may be reduced. The possibility of spillage and product waste may be reduced. The apparatus may provide a fast, convenient method for a consumer to prepare a drink or food by reducing the number of steps required. By locating the seal 104 deep within the container, cup 102 for example, the containers may still be stacked for storage and shipping, which saves space for the consumer and reduces shipping costs. The tab 106 extending to the top of the container may provide a convenient method for removing the seal 104 without reaching into the container and possibly contaminating the container and/or the product 108. This design may allow products, such as product 108, shown in FIG. 1, that are not normally sold in vending machines to be offered in vending machines.

Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention. 

1. A drinking cup for storing a mixing product, the drinking cup comprising: a removable seal comprising a barrier configured to seal the mixing product in a chamber within the drinking cup, wherein the removable seal is secured to an interior of the cup to cover a first volume of the drinking cup to sanitarily store the mixing product and is positioned at a distance from a bottom of the drinking cup as to provide a second volume for adding a liquid to the drinking cup; and a removing member coupled to the removable seal to allow the removable seal to be unsecured from the interior of the cup.
 2. The drinking cup of claim 1, wherein the removing member is a tab comprising an elongated member that extends from the removable seal to a mouth of the drinking cup, wherein the tab extends at least far enough from the mouth as to allow a user of the drinking cup to grasp the tab without having to enter the mouth of the drinking cup.
 3. The drinking cup of claim 2, wherein an end portion of the tab is configured with a shape which facilitates grasping by the user.
 4. The drinking cup of claim 3, wherein the tab has a hook shape.
 5. The drinking cup of claim 3, wherein the tab has a ring shape.
 6. The drinking cup of claim 2, wherein the tab comprises a mixer for mixing the mixing product and the liquid added to the drinking cup.
 7. The drinking cup of claim 1, wherein the mixing product comprises an edible product, which when the removable seal is unsecured, the edible product is mixed with a liquid poured into the drinking cup.
 8. The drinking cup of claim 1, wherein the drinking cup is configured to be stackable with a plurality of drinking cups, each having the same shape as the drinking cup.
 9. The drinking cup of claim 8, wherein the tab extends along an inner side surface of the drinking cup so that the tab does not interfere with the stacking of the drinking cups with the plurality of drinking cups.
 10. A vessel for transporting a mixing product, the vessel comprising: a removable seal comprising a barrier configured to fit within the vessel, wherein the removable seal is secured to an inner side surface of the drinking cup to cover a first volume of the vessel to store the mixing product and is positioned at a distance from a bottom of the vessel as to provide a second volume for adding a liquid to the vessel; and a removing member coupled to the removable seal to allow the removable seal to be unsecured from the interior of the cup.
 11. The vessel of claim 10, wherein the removing member is a tab comprising an elongated member that extends from the removable seal to a mouth of the vessel, wherein the tab extends at least far enough from the mouth as to allow a user of the vessel to grasp the tab outside the mouth of the vessel.
 12. The vessel of claim 11, wherein the tab comprises a mixer configured to be removed from the removable seal and inserted into the mouth to mix the mixing product with the liquid.
 13. The vessel of claim 12, wherein the vessel is configured to be stackable with a plurality of vessels, each having the same shape as the vessel.
 14. A method for storing a mixing product in a drinking cup, comprising: coupling a removable seal to an interior of a drinking cup, wherein the removable seal comprises a barrier secured to an inner side surface of the drinking cup to cover a first volume of the drinking cup to store the mixing product and is positioned at a distance from a bottom of the drinking cup as to provide a second volume for adding a liquid to the drinking cup. storing the mixing product in the first volume; and coupling a removing member to the removable seal to allow the removable seal to be unsecured from the interior of the cup when the removing member is pulled.
 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising: removing the removable seal using the removing member; and adding a liquid to the drinking cup to mix the liquid with the mixing product. 